1. National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death ‘For better, for worse’ and the End of Life Care Strategy
Dr Teresa Tate FRCP FRCR
Medical Adviser,
Marie Curie Cancer Care;
Consultant in Palliative Medicine,
Barts and the London NHS Trust.

2. 21st century policies: NHS and Cancer Plans 2000 NICE 2004
End of Life Care Initiative
The Choice Agenda
Your Health, Your Care, Your Say
Darzi; the Next Steps review
End of Life Care Strategy

3. “For better, for worse?” Treatment decisions:
86% patients treated with palliative intent – 51% receiving =/> 2nd line
21% Perf. Status 3-4 at start of treatment
43% patients developed grade 3-4 toxicity
19% decisions to treat judged to be inappropriate - <50% discussed in MDT
35% last cycles judged inappropriate – 52% deaths after cycle 1

4. Factors influencing decision making:
Patient related –
Commitment, age and social circumstances
Clinician related –
Experience, support, training
Tumour related –
Natural history, previous treatment-response

5. Decision making; palliative SACT in patients with poor performance status:
Research evidence to improve understanding of outcomes
Clarity about intended outcome
Assessment of benefit : risk for individual
Clear communication with patient and family

6. “For better, for worse?”- Recommendations on end of life care:
NCEPOD strongly supports the use of an end of life pathway when managing patients in their last days of life
All healthcare professionals dealing with people who are dying should be able to discuss options and facilitate choices

7. End of Life Care Pathways:
For the care of the patient in the last days of life
For the care of the person approaching the end of life

8. “For better, for worse?”- Recommendations on end of life care:
‘A proactive rather than reactive approach should be adopted to ensure that palliative care treatments or referrals are initiated early and appropriately. Oncologists should enquire, at an appropriate time, about any advance decisions the patient might wish to make should they lose the capacity to make their own decisions in the future.’

9. Palliative Care: NCHSPCS 1997
The active care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment. Control of physical symptoms and provision of psychological, social and spiritual support are paramount.
The goal of palliative care is achievement of best quality of care for patients and their families. Many aspects of palliative care are also applicable earlier in the course of the illness in conjunction with curative treatment.

10. End of Life Care is care that:
Helps all those with advanced, progressive, incurable illness to live as well as possible until they die. It enables the supportive and palliative care needs of both patient and family to be identified and met throughout the last phase of life and into bereavement. It includes the management of physical symptoms and provision of psychological, social, spiritual and practical support.
NCPC 2006

11. End of Life Care Strategy– Promoting high quality care for all adults at the end of life
‘How we care for the dying is an indicator of how we care for all sick and vulnerable people. It is a measure of society as a whole and it is a litmus test for health and social care services.’

12. End of Life Care Strategy:
For all adults regardless of diagnosis
For any place of care
Time period not clearly defined; but “months to a year”
Within the limits of the current law

13. The End of Life Care Pathway

14. End of Life Care Pathway
Identifying people approaching the end of life; initiating discussions
Major culture change amongst clinicians needed
Prognostication is difficult
Communication skills training essential
Advance Care Planning
Coordinated, rapidly responsive care in all settings

15. Advance Care Planning:
An integral part of care. A process of evolving discussion between individuals and their care providers. This may result in creation of an advance statement or decision.
Advance Statement: how an individual would wish to be treated if he looses capacity, containing general beliefs and life values.
Advance Decision: Clear instructions refusing a specified medical procedure

16. “A good death”
Being treated as an individual, with dignity and respect
Being free of distressing symptoms
Being in familiar surroundings
Being in the company of close family and/or friends